Method for operating a motor vehicle having an operating device

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for operating a motor vehicle having an operating device, which includes a speech recognition and language determination device. A recognition of a voice input of a user of the motor vehicle, and a check as to whether a language of the voice input corresponds to the first operating language take place in a first operating mode with a first operating language. Depending on a result of the checking process, a confidence value is assigned to the voice input, which describes a probability with which the language of the voice input is the second operating language. Depending on the assigned confidence value, a query signal is generated, which describes a request, understandable in a second operating language, to the user for indicating the operating mode to be set or the operating language to be set. In response to a received operating signal, the operating mode to be set or the operating language to be set are set.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for operating a motor vehicle, comprising:
 activating an operating device of the motor vehicle operating in a first operating language in a first operating mode; 
 recognizing, by a speech recognition and language determination device inside the operating device that operates in the first operating mode, a voice input by a user of the motor vehicle; 
 checking, by the speech recognition and language determination device, whether a language of the voice input corresponds to the first operating language; 
 assigning, by the speech recognition and language determination device, a confidence value to the voice input depending on a result of the checking, wherein the confidence value describes a probability with which the language of the voice input is a second operating language of a second operating mode of the operating device; 
 generating, by the speech recognition and language determination device, a query signal describing a request in the second operating language understandable to the user, wherein the request indicates the second operating mode to be set with the second operating language, depending on the assigned confidence value; 
 transmitting, by the speech recognition and language determination device, the query signal to an output device to output the query signal; 
 receiving, by the speech recognition and language determination device, an operating signal, wherein the operating signal describes an operational action of the user and indicates whether the second operating language is a desired operating language; 
 changing, by the speech recognition and language determination device, the operating device from the first operating mode to the second operating mode in response to the received operating signal; and 
 ascertaining, by the speech recognition and language determination device, a frequency with which the speech recognition and language determination device correctly recognizes the voice input within a predefined period of time, wherein the changing of the first operating mode to the second operating mode is carried out depending on the ascertained frequency. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the request in the second operating language understandable to the user comprises an audio message or a text message in the second operating language, or an image message. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 setting, by the speech recognition and language determination device, the operating device in the second operating mode to detect the operational action. 
 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 generating, by the speech recognition and language determination device, a playback signal, the playback signal describing a playback of the recognized voice input; 
 transmitting, by the speech recognition and language determination device, the playback signal to the output device; and 
 determining, by the speech recognition and language determination device, that the voice input has been correctly recognized in response to a confirmation signal from the user, wherein the confirmation signal describes that the playback of the recognized voice input is correct. 
 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 operating, by the user of the motor vehicle, a convenience system of the motor vehicle through the voice input of the user, wherein the operating device serves as a user interface between the user and the convenience system. 
 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 5 , wherein the operating the convenience system of the motor vehicle comprises operating a navigation device, an auxiliary heater, or an air conditioning of the motor vehicle. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the activating the operating device comprises activating a multimedia interface or infotainment system. 
     
     
       8. An operating device of a motor vehicle, comprising:
 an operating element configured to detect an operational action by a user of the motor vehicle; 
 a speech recognition and language determination device located in the operating device inside the motor vehicle; and 
 an output device configured to output a query signal, the query signal generated and transmitted by the speech recognition and language determination device, 
 wherein the operating device is located inside the motor vehicle, and is configured to be used in a first operating language in a first operating mode and a second operating language in a second operating mode; and 
 wherein the speech recognition and language determination device is configured to: 
 assign a confidence value to a voice input, wherein the confidence value describes a probability with which a language of the voice input is the second operating language; 
 change the operating device from the first operating mode to the second operating mode when an operating signal is received from the user indicating the second operating language is a desired operating language; and 
 ascertain a frequency with which the speech recognition and language determination device correctly recognizes the voice input within a predefined period of time, wherein the changing of the first operating mode to the second operating mode is carried out depending on the ascertained frequency. 
 
     
     
       9. The operating device of  claim 8 , wherein the speech recognition and language determination device is further configured to:
 recognize the voice input by the user of the motor vehicle when the operating device operates in the first operating mode using the first operating language; 
 check whether the language of the voice input corresponds to the first operating language; 
 generate the query signal describing a request in the second operating language, wherein the request indicates the second operating mode to be set with the second operating language depending on the assigned confidence value; 
 transmit the query signal to the output device; and 
 receive the operating signal, the operating signal describing the operational action of the user and indicating whether the second operating language is a desired operating language. 
 
     
     
       10. The operating device of  claim 8 , wherein the speech recognition and language determination device comprises:
 at least one microprocessor or at least one microcontroller; and 
 a data memory comprising a program code, wherein the program code is configured to carry out operations when executed by the speech recognition and language determination device. 
 
     
     
       11. The operating device of  claim 10 , wherein the speech recognition and language determination device further comprises a microphone, the microphone configured to record a voice input of the user. 
     
     
       12. The operating device of  claim 8 , wherein the output device comprises a screen. 
     
     
       13. The operating device of  claim 8 , wherein the output device comprises a speaker. 
     
     
       14. The operating device of  claim 8 , further comprising a user interface between the user of the motor vehicle and a convenience system of the motor vehicle. 
     
     
       15. The operating device of  claim 14 , further comprising a multimedia interface or infotainment system. 
     
     
       16. The operating device of  claim 14 , wherein the convenience system comprises a navigation device, an auxiliary heater, or an air conditioning. 
     
     
       17. The operating device of  claim 8 , wherein the operating element comprises a pushbutton, a swivel point or a touch-sensitive screen.